Love does not exist
by nomuerta
Summary: A girl escapes from her abusive family and finds a life in Rivendell
1. Zara Towers

LOVE DOES NOT EXIST  
  
Summary: A girl-Zara-escapes from her abusive family and finds a life in Rivendell  
  
A/N: Always R&R =D Have fun!  
  
Zara Towers:  
  
I cried out in surprise as father pushed me against the cold wooden door.  
  
"You stole it didn't you?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Don't what me! That brooch was very precious to your mother!" I looked over to see mother standing there, glaring at me thinking I took the brooch. I knew if I denied it I would get more of a beating so I just kept silent and should have taken my beating, like I normally did. I was an only child and I was glad of that. I could not stand to see anybody else go through what I had to. I felt father's cold, hard hand slap me for the last time. I don't know what made me do it, but I just suddenly lashed out and kicked him where it would hurt the most. He backed off, cupping where I kicked him. He looked shocked and I heard my mother screaming at me as I bolted from the house.  
  
I ran far into the forest that surrounded our cottage. I knew I could never go back there. If I did I would probably be beat to death, that was something I did not want. I had to run as far as I could and I could not stop. After an hour of running I was seriously wishing that I had taken a horse. I slowed down to a fast walk, but never stopped. I knew a place where some relatives where staying and hopefully they would take me in. I had heard mother talking about them once; I had never actually seen them. The only people I had ever seen were my mother and father, they kept me well locked up. I was surprised when mother had taught me manners like she thought I was going to actually meet people. I suppose they just wanted to tease me, they would make me use my manners around the house, even when I was cleaning and cooking. I had walked well into the night and as I lay down to rest I could hear hooves coming closer, but took no note of it as I fell into a deep slumber.  
  
When I awoke I found that I was in the middle of a semicircle and father was there. I backed against a tree,  
  
"W-what do you all want?" I questioned looking around the circle. One elf caught my eye, he had long brown hair and he looked like royalty.  
  
"Now that is no way to talk to these nice elves. Sorry about her rudeness"  
  
"It is ok. She is frightened. How did she gets all those cuts may I ask?"  
  
"No you may not ask" Father snapped "I will take her home and then you can back to whatever you were doing"  
  
"I am here! I do not want to go back with you," I said almost fearfully. "I want to go to Rivendell to see my relatives!" I yelled, gaining confidence. Father was getting flustered,  
  
"Just come home Zara, I will deal with you when we get back" He hissed, grabbing my arm in a strong vice-like grip. I tried to pull my arm away, but he was too strong. I looked over at the elves, my eyes pleading,  
  
"Please don't let him take me home"  
  
"But surely you would want to go home?" The elf questioned, puzzled. I burst out crying at that moment. Father yanked me up from the ground,  
  
"He beats me! Don't let him take me home!" I yelled just as father pulled me onto the back of his horse.  
  
A/N: What did you think?? Like it, hate it? Tell me what you think!!!!! 


	2. Rivendell

LOVE DOES NOT EXIST  
  
Summary: A girl-Zara-escapes from her abusive family and finds a life in Rivendell  
  
A/N: Always R&R =D Have fun!  
  
Rivendell  
  
"Do not move unless you want an arrow embedded in your skull" I heard a voice say forcefully from behind me. I froze, as did father.  
  
"Now let the girl get off and come with us" The horse must have seen something that it did not look because it reared up. I was not holding onto anything-like father- so as the horse reared up I fell back onto the ground and the last thing I felt was the horse stand on my leg, bringing unbearable pain.  
  
When I awoke I was lying on a soft, silky bed. I looked around to see the elf that had caught my eye, sitting next to my bed. He smiled softly,  
  
"So you have awoken my lady? You had a pretty bad fall from that horse. I am glad my father could heal you"  
  
"May I ask who your father is?"  
  
"Lord Elrond. Surely you have heard of him" I searched my head and then vaguely remember mother saying about how Lord Elrond thinks he is better than everyone else because he is royalty. I nodded slowly,  
  
"I have heard of your father"  
  
"My name is Elrohir" I smiled at Elrohir,  
  
"I am Zara, pleased to meet you" I sat up in the bed. I looked over at him and asked timidly,  
  
"Where is my father?"  
  
"He has gone back to your home. He said some unruly words to you and then rode off. Does he always talk to you like that?" I lowered my eyes and nodded slowly,  
  
"He hates me"  
  
"Surely he loves you, he is your father"  
  
"He is not my father! He does not love me either! You do not know a thing about me or my family so you can't say that!" I yelled at him, my cheeks flushing a violent shade of red. Obviously Elrohir was not expecting this,  
  
"I am so sorry, my lady. I think I shall be leaving now" I looked at him as he stood up and suddenly I felt guilty,  
  
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to yell…I'm just scared and angry. Please forgive me" Elrohir smiled faintly,  
  
"Already forgiven, my lady. Would you like me to stay?" Slowly I shook my head,  
  
"I am sorry, but I do not wish for company right at this hour. I will just yell at you again and that is the last thing I need to worry about now. Maybe I will see you tomorrow?" Elrohir smiled and bowed, politely, before sweeping out of my big warm room. I hugged the silky sheets closer to my body, feeling held-back sobs wrack my body. I had ever only cried twice in my life and that was when I was young. Both times father had beaten the tears away. I sighed and let the salty tears fall. I had forgotten what it felt like to feel the tears trickle down my face and fall onto the soft cover. I cried loudly and my whole body shook. The door opened and somebody who looked a little bit like Elrohir quickly came in and comforted me. I sobbed into his chest, feeling foolish and grateful that someone would want to comfort me. He stayed silent as I cried and for that I was grateful 


	3. Elladan

LOVE DOES NOT EXIST  
  
Summary: A girl-Zara-escapes from her abusive family and finds a life in Rivendell  
  
A/N: Always R&R =D Have fun!  
  
Elladan  
  
I calmed down a little while after but the elf still held me close to him. It felt strange lying in somebody's arms, being comforted.  
  
"Why are you upset, my lady?"  
  
"I do not know!" I said, trying to sound confident but instead it came out as a whine. I buried my head in the pillow and sighed. I came back up and looked at him,  
  
"You look very much like Elrohir"  
  
"Well I should since I am his twin. My name is Elladan, my lady" He said kissing my palm. I smiled faintly.  
  
"And I am Zara Towers. You were not with your brother when they found me were you?"  
  
"No I was not. I had some business to attend to here. I heard about what happened though, are you ok?"  
  
"I have never felt better" I smiled and realised, that statement was true, I was free for now, free from beatings and free from hell. I was even meeting more people now than I had in the seventeen years of my life. Elladan moved off the bed and stood up,  
  
"It is almost time for dinner, would you like me to send someone down with new clothes and some cleaning products?" I laughed,  
  
"Do I really smell that bad? Of course I would" Elladan turned red and left in quite a hurry. I smiled and lay back, enjoying hearing the rain fall onto the roof and know that I was not in it, but in a nice warm room with candles and a fire. There was a knock on the door a few minutes later and a maid came in carrying a purple dress with a white over coat and some soap and shampoo. I smiled gratefully as she curtseyed and walked quickly out of the room. I climbed out of my bed and swept up the items and took them to the bathroom. I undressed as the bath filled up and climbed into the hot water, inviting every inch of it. At home I usually had a cold bath and I was only allowed to spend five minutes in it. I spent half an hour scrubbing my self, being careful to avoid the cuts and bruises. Finally when the steam started to give me a headache so I pulled the plug and dried myself. I slipped into the light purple dress. I walked back into my room and looked at my reflection in the full-length mirror. I had even only seen my reflection a few times, because mother and father kept mirrors away from my bedroom saying "You will be to vain and spend a whole day in front of the mirror" I shook my head, don't think of them I thought as I pulled the brush through my hair, working out the knots. There was a small knock on the door and the maid came back in,  
  
"Would you like me to work on your hair my lady?" I smiled,  
  
"If you would not mind. I have never tied my hair up before" The maid hid her surprise very well as she came and sat behind me and did my hair up in a long plait. I smiled at my reflection,  
  
"You have done a lovely job, thank you" The maid smiled and departed. I sat down at my desk, staring out the window. The rain had let up and the sun was starting to shine through again. There was a strong knock on the door and Elrohir walked in all dressed up in his red robes.  
  
"Lady Zara? I will be accompanying you to the feast. Would you like to come?" I felt my face turn red at being talked to so formally slash nicely. I smiled and took Elrohir's arm,  
  
"I think I might" I said as we both walked out of my warm room.  
  
A/N: Thanks to Risty for reviewing!!! 


	4. Midsummer

LOVE DOES NOT EXIST  
  
Summary: A girl-Zara-escapes from her abusive family and finds a life in Rivendell  
  
A/N: Always R&R =D Have fun!  
  
Midsummer  
  
As we walked into the great hall I sucked in my breath. It was the most beautifully decorated hall I had ever seen. It was the only hall I had ever seen. There was a large mass of people already sitting down. I wondered what the occasion was,  
  
"If I may ask what is the occasion?" Elrohir smiled,  
  
"It is a midsummer celebration. You are seated here, in between Elladan and myself" I smiled and sat down as Elrohir pulled out the chair for me. Elladan appeared just as I sat down,  
  
"Lady Zara" Elladan said courteously before sitting down. I smiled and bobbed my head slightly,  
  
"Elven Elladan" I joked, smiling. Elladan smiled cheerfully,  
  
"Been up to much since the last time we met?"  
  
"Hm.let me think. Well one interesting thing did happen; I meet your twin brother! You ever heard of him before?" Elladan laughed but quietened down as the Lady Arwen and the Lord Elrond walked in and sat down. Arwen was wearing a light green dress covered over with a see through white coat,  
  
"Are they like royalty or something?" I joked knowing they were royalty. Elladan realised I was joking and snorted. Arwen looked over at him and kind of glared then she turned to me and gave me a look of disgust. I felt very small under her stare but I was not going to let her look at me like that,  
  
"Am I not "royal" enough for you, my lady?" I sneered at her. Arwen was taken aback but then she quickly regained herself and replied,  
  
"No you are not but don't let that stop you from flirting with my brother now will you? He is out of your reach and don't you forget that!"  
  
"You know my whole life I have been treated like a rag but never did I think I would be treated exactly the same way here" I replied standing up and quickly walking out of the room, followed by everybody's stare. I heard the scrape of another chair and soon Elladan came after me.  
  
"Zara. Zara please do not walk away. Please come back"  
  
"I will once the banquet has finished"  
  
"You will go hungry"  
  
"I have gone a whole day without food, I think I can survive one dinner"  
  
"Arwen did not mean what she said. She is under a lot of stress though"  
  
"She meant what she said but since she is under a lot of stress, she said it! She's right though; you are out of my reach. We should not even be talking now. I will go back in when I am ready, go enjoy yourself" Elladan looked at me one last time, then turned around and yanked open the doors to the Great Hall. I sat down on the cold concrete, shivering slightly. The first time that I go into the hall I am not welcome.  
  
An hour later I heard the scraping of chairs and everybody left the hall and went through to the ballroom. Slowly I stood up and followed the last of the crowd into the ballroom. No one noticed that I was in the room, they all thought that I had gone to my room, so I sat down on a chair near the back. A boy about my age sat down next to me,  
  
"Hey"  
  
"Hey"  
  
"Saw your little performance before" I couldn't help but let my lips curl into a grin,  
  
"It was great wasn't it?"  
  
"Surprised you stood up to Arwen. No one has ever said anything like that to her. Well done" I smiled and bowed slightly in the chair,  
  
"Thank you thank you I'm here until I find another place to stay" The boy smiled,  
  
"Want to dance?" He asked. I nodded slowly. We both stood up and gently swayed to the sound of the music,  
  
"Do you truly like Elladan?" He asked suddenly.  
  
"Not anymore. What is your name by the way?"  
  
"Relic. What is yours, my lady?"  
  
"Zara. Please don't start on that 'my lady' stuff please. I hate it" Relic smiled and softly kissed my cheek,  
  
"I will promise you I will be back for another dance soon" He then turned and blended into the crowd easily.  
  
A/N: Review please!!!!!! 


	5. Trouble

LOVE DOES NOT EXIST  
  
Summary: A girl-Zara-escapes from her abusive family and finds a life in Rivendell  
  
A/N: Always R&R =D Have fun!  
  
Trouble  
  
Elladan walked over to me as soon as Relic left,  
  
"I saw you with Relic, did you enjoy his company?"  
  
"As a matter of fact I did and he was not out of my reach either"  
  
"Zara, please I really like you, please do not let what Arwen say get in between us"  
  
"But it is true and you know it"  
  
"I am not out of your reach, I am well with in it! Please"  
  
"Well."  
  
"May I have this dance?" He asked offering his hand. Slowly I stood up and took it. I danced with him all night long, well until Relic came anyway. I was really enjoying myself until Relic came over. He grabbed my arm and spun me around,  
  
"What do you think you are doing? Elladan is the one that got you all upset! I had to listen to you whine about him, and now you are back with him!"  
  
"Do not speak or treat a lady like that!" Elladan said sticking up for me. Relic laughed,  
  
"Why not?" He said grabbing my face and placing his lips onto mine. I tried to break free but his grip was too strong. Elladan pulled Relic off easily and took a swing at him. He got his eye. The music died down and everybody was watching,  
  
"Elladan!" Arwen said walking over and glaring at me,  
  
"Look at what that girl has done to you! She has done this with her evil magic" I rolled my eyes but left anyway, obviously I was not wanted. I was just about at my room when I was pushed against the wall and there was Relic. He hit me, hard, across my cheekbone.  
  
"You know, you don't deserve a man's love because you just treat all of us as if we have no heart" He grabbed me by my hair and smacked my head against the stone wall. I cried out,  
  
"No, please not again" I whimpered. Relic suddenly let go of my hair and I slumped onto the ground, blood passing in front of my eyes. I think I saw Elladan fighting Relic before passing out.  
  
I awoke with Elladan in a bed next to me and my head was fine. I looked at Elladan to see him in worse condition than me.  
  
"He's going to be ok, don't worry" I turned to see Elrohir.  
  
"It's all my fault. Why don't you hate me like your sister?"  
  
"Because it was not your fault. Do not worry, Elladan didn't seem to mind fighting for you" I felt the heat rising in my cheeks and turned away to hide it,  
  
"I seem to be causing trouble here," I said, sighing.  
  
"Is there anywhere that I can go to?" I asked. Elrohir shook his head,  
  
"Not that I can think of. Maybe Mirkwood, but you do not want to leave just because of my sister"  
  
"I cause trouble here! Look at Elladan! It's all my fault and don't try to deny it!"  
  
"I won't but I have to say that you are too hard on yourself"  
  
"Well you get like that when everything that goes wrong is blamed on you"  
  
"Well this is not your fault. Please stay" I finally nodded tiredly. I looked at him, smiled and fell into a peaceful sleep knowing that I finally belonged somewhere. 


End file.
